A Means To An End
by Zeerd
Summary: Darth Zeerd has been a asset and liability for the Empire. After a reunion with an old friend, Darth Zeerd and his apprentice will journey around the galaxy unravelling the mystery round the theft of his friends ship. He reunite with old friends and make new ones as well as enemy's. This is set in the years up to and during the Cold War (SW:TOR). IN PROGRESS.
1. Chapter 1 - The Beginning To The New

Chapter 1- The Beginning To The New

"Fire!" an Imperial commander cried out, the ground shuck as the artillery cannons unloaded the firepower upon the Republic's position. The shots destroyed two Republic walkers along with their crew. A flurry of blaster fire could be heard from the outskirts facility that the Empire was currently attacking, though progress was slow the Imperial troops were slowly pushing the Republic forces back inside the facility. A small task force led by a Sith Lord were making their way to the back of the facility to ambush the enemy from behind. At the head of the team was Darth Zeerd a male Sith Pureblood, the team also had four Imperial commandos and two assassin droids. Darth Zeerd whistled to give the signal to the rest of the team, they deployed their grappling hooks and began scaling the wall. With the aid of the Force he scaled the wall with a single leap, once at the top he checks the area to see if it was clear, which in fact it wasn't two troopers stood at the doorway. Luckily he wasn't spotted and he quickly Force gripped them both and pulled them of the balcony and they fell to their deaths. Once all his team had made their way to the top, they stared to make their way through the upper floors of the area, eliminating a few troops in their way. They were heading to the control room to open the gate at the front of the facility. A few moments later they reach the corridor to the control room, which at seems clear, once they had reached halfway down to the end something clicked and then suddenly and large electrified wall appeared behind them cutting them off in a dead end. They ran towards the control room door which was sealed shut, but there was not enough time to cut it open so the Sith had to think quickly and prepared to blast the door down with the Force. Darth Zeerd released a large blast from his hands blasting the door open they quickly ran through the door way but both droids and one of the commandos didn't make it through the doorway.

Two commandos took point at the doorway to watched out for any incoming troops, whilst the other commando looked around for the gate controls and Darth Zeerd activated his holo-communicator "Yes my lord?" an Imperial officer responded to the Sith "We will soon have the gate open" Darth Zeerd's voice was not dark and cold as you would expect but it was charismatic and soft "Good, the troops won't be able to last another second out in the open" he then shut his holo-communicator down and turned to the commando. The commando nodded at him and pulled down a lever, which caused the gate at the main entrance to open, in which Imperial troops ran through followed by a tank. Zeerd made his way towards the doorway "Let's go" the troops followed him down the corridor, and made their way towards the roof. Once on the roof the commandos repelled down to the lower levelled to support the rest of the soldiers. The Sith Lord was preparing to drop down when he suddenly spotted a gunship closing in on his position quickly. Before he knew it, the gunship was right on top of him, which a figure jumped out of and landed on the roof in front of Darth Zeerd. He then push his hands out and before he could react the Sith was thrown of the roof and past the walls of the facility, which he just managed to land alive but not unharmed. The presumed Jedi ignited his green lightsaber, walked over to Zeerd his saber sticking out in the night. Then the Jedi was right on top of him.

"AARRGGH" as Darth Zeerd's opponent, a Mirialan Jedi Master, swiftly performs a blow on him, which slices through his left arm at the elbow without any problem, cauterizing the wound as it is formed which causes his face to change, not with pain or anger but a look of surprise. He catches quick glimpses of his forearm as it hits the ground. He then pushes his right hand forward as he Force pushes the Jedi a few feet away; he lunges forward swinging his lightsaber around blocking and parrying all incoming strikes from the Jedi. Darth Zeerd then attempts to finish the Jedi off but the top of his lightsaber is cut off, "Seems you were no match for me, Sith" the Jedi says in a mocking tone. Darth Zeerd clicks releasing all the rage from inside of him, he then lifts the helpless Jedi into the air, Zeerd spots a large crude metal pole from some debris nearby and launches it through his chest, causing blood to run down the edge of the pole, Zeerd then electrocutes the tip of the pole which sent a mass surge of electricity into the Jedi's body, causing his muscles to tense up, when the lighting ceased his body falls limp to the floor. His vision went blurry and he starts to stumble around. *Thud*. He collapses to the floor and passes out.

Darth Zeerd awoke by the voice of his apprentice the young Togruta, Shaai Zaa was her name. She stood there in her standard Sith robes, she had red skin with circle white pigments on her face, her eyes were a lilac colour, she had three long lekku two running down her chest and one down her back and she two average sized montrals sicking up from her head, her lekku and montrals were white with black stripes running along them. Zeerd blinked few times then answers his apprentice "Yes Shaai I'm okay" then he sits up on the medical bed, and inspects himself, by firstly lifting his left arm up which was cybernetic from the below the elbow, it was gold plated and skeleton like, then he looks up as Shaai who was talking about something "Shaai speak slowly, I've just woken up", she nods "I thought you might like it gold and without the synthflesh", he moves his fingers around and then clenches his hand into a fist "You know me too well" he claps his hands together, "Now where is that damn doctor, I need to get these kolto packs off me", whistles and beckons a doctor over "How may I assist you sir?" the doctor asks Darth Zeerd. "I need to get out of here, so can you just get these needles out of me". "I'm sorry sir, but you're not ready to leave yet", Zeerd sighs then waves his hand in front of the doctor "You will allow me to leave" "I will allow you to leave" the doctor replies. The doctor takes all of the medical equipment off him. Zeerd then turns to Shaai "Always works" "Are you sure your fine" she asks concerned "Of course I am" he stumbles when he stands up, Shaai laughs at him slightly. He walks slowly trying to regain the feeling in his legs out of the medical tent and into a courtyard followed shortly by Shaai "So did we win?" he asks as he looks around the yard, Shaai sighs "No we lost ", Zeerd curses "That's no good. Where's my ship? I need to get off this blasted planet. No doubt the council will wish to speak to me", Shaai points towards the hanger.

The hanger was a large hall with a platform overlooking the landing pads; it also had many terminals used for checking in and out and to schedule times for fuel to be put into the ship. Darth Zeerd headed towards the lift to go down to the 6th floor. He approached hanger 67 and his ship. His ship was a standard issue Sith starfighter a Fury-class Imperial Interceptor which was on the outside was non-modified but on the inside was outfitted with a meditation room, training room, a main bedroom with a en-suite, one crew quarters, a cargo hold and the main bridge . As he walks towards his ship a tall figure approached, he was a tall Chiss with a dark blue coloured skin, blood red eyes and might night blue hair. He was armoured in standard Mandalorian armour which was pitch black clour with bright yellow stripes upon it, he wore no helmet. "Hran is that you?" Zeerd went to give him a handshake, Hran nods back "It's been a long time, but more importantly what you are doing on this hell hole of a planet". Hran sighs "Well where I start. First and foremost my ship well, it was stolen and I was stranded here of all places, fucking Blamorra". "Let's get on to my ship and you can tell me about it" Darth Zeerd led both Hran and Shaai to his ship.

As they stepped onto the cold metal floor of the ship the interior was mostly black with some grey areas and monitors were red, standard for an Imperial vessel. "Nothing says welcome like an Imperial décor" Hran states as her enters walks into the bridge which had a large table with a holoterminal on it, as everyone circled the table "Master, master" a droid voice echoed as it rushed over to the table, the droid then notices that Zeerd's left arm is mechanical "What happen to you master" the droid remarks as he points to his arm "Isn't it obvious you stupid droid, I lost it. Now go take the ship into orbit R8!" replies aggressively, the droid makes it way towards the deck to the ships controls. "Doesn't that get annoying" Hran asks regarding the droid "You have no idea, but it did come with the ship and does his job well I guess" Zeerd rubs his hands together "Now you was going to explain what happened to your ship". The ship shakes as it takes off and blasts off the surface of the planet to enter the orbit. Shaai leaves the table then heads toward her quarters to change out of her battle gear and into something more comfortable, she had her own room it was small but it was hers, as she entered the room the door shut behind her. Hran cracks his knuckles "Well it started when I accepted a job on a Hutt to capture and return a smuggler who owed said Hutt some credits a simple job, but it didn't turn out to be so simple it turned out that the smuggler owed a lot of credits so much in fact that he had a small army protecting his apartment, I scouted out the premises to find any way in and out well I found a small air duct round the back of the building but it seemed there was another bounty hunter attempting to claim the bounty, So I approached him carefully with my blaster aimed at his back. So I asked him if he was here for the bounty he was so he offered to team up and split the bounty since there was a lot of hired thugs protecting him, I was hesitant as first but I knew it was the only way Malem was his name" Shaai then exited her room wearing some standard black robes then joined the two back at the table. "So then we entered the duct he went first, so I followed him along till we reached the room the smuggler was held up in then we jumped down quickly eliminating four thugs then locking the door, we then grabbed the target then left the way we came in then headed for my ship to return the smuggler to the Hutt" Hran took a deep breath "As we entered my ship and put the prisoner into the holding cell Malem hit me on the back of my head, knocking me out then I woke up on the cold metal floor of the landing pad and my ship was gone. So after that I used a contact of mine to find you and arrange a ship to take me to Balmorra. So you see you are my only hope" Zeerd rubs his eyes "Okay I will help you but first I have to report to Dromund Kaas, afterwards we'll head to Nar Shaddaa and ask around". Zeerd then headed to his quarters as he past the crew quarters he pointed to it "Hran you can use this room" Hran nods in return as Zeerd carries on to his room, once he entered the door locked behind him, he began to get changed into his robes as he was interrupted by a knock at his door. He unlocks the door and spots his apprentice standing in front of him "Yeah Shaai can I help you?" he asks as he stands there topless "I was just wondering if you would like me to set a course to Dromund Kaas?" Zeerd nods in return, she then turns around and stands there "Anything else?" Zeerd asks as he scratches a massive scar located along his chest "I was just wondering how long your friend is going to be staying" he shrugs "Not too long hopefully. Why does his presence bother you?" she shakes her head then rushes of to the cockpit. Zeerd shrugs then heads back into his room and finishes of getting dressed.


	2. Chapter 2 - Something In The Way

Chapter 2 - Something In The Way

Zeerd leaves his room some time later then makes his way to the cockpit, however is stopped as he passes the training room where his apprentice was practicing with some training droids, he stands at the door leaning on the door frame watching her slice at the droid with a Sith training saber. He assessing her silently watching as she gracefully swings the saber around taking each droid out one by one, there was something magical about watching saber fighting it was like art. She finishes the droids off then starts to breathe heavily she hears clapping from the door he master was there watching her all along "Sorry master I did not notice you there" she places the training saber back of the weapon rack, Zeerd walks over to weapon racks and stands next to her "How about we have a quick duel?" Zeerd picks up a training staff "Sure master" she picks up two training blades, they both walk to other ends of the training room "Any rules, master?" he nods "Yeah no Force powers or dirty fighting apart from kicking they count". Shaai then gets into a stance placing one of her weapons into an attacking position and the other a defending one, Zeerd stood there in a relaxed stance he then suddenly charges at her performing a side flip and landing a strike onto one of Shaai's blades. Shaai then goes for a stab at his stomach but he blocked it with the other end of the staff, he then withdraws backwards then leg sweeps his apprentice as she falls to the floor he mockingly states "Your stance seems to need some work" she then jumps up to her feet then loosely swings her weapons around at him which he perfectly blocks the pushes her back with the tip of his staff "Always use your forms" she then quickly recalls all seven forms then slipped into form II:Makashi recalling that this form helps one on one duelling. She swiftly swings one blade at a time striking his staff, but he was prepared and quickly wrapped the tip of the staff round her hand and disarmed her left hand then kicks the blade away. She was now open for an attack he then attacks fast lunging forward pushing her against the wall, he then knocks her weapon out of her hand but is unprepared for her as she kicks his staff put of his hands she then punches him in the chest, which he counters the second time it happens, which he then proceeds to parry her oncoming attacks then he suddenly grabs her fists then sweeps her legs dropping them both to the floor. He grabs her tightly, which she then surrenders at he then releases her and stands up "Not a bad fight" he says as he used the Force to move the weapons onto their racks "You still need a little work on your stance, but not bad" "Always criticising me" she says jokingly. They both make their way out of the training room and then into cockpit, they both spot Dromund Kaas which was the capital of the Sith Empire. Zeerd then sets the ship to land on the planet's surface.

The ship lands in the largest of the spaceports, and then from there they take a speeder through the dense jungle towards the capital Kaas city. Kass city was the crown of the Empire with its large skyscrapers and unpredictable lighting storms spanning it and the surrounding landscape. They landed their speeders just outside the city walls, which towered anyone standing beside with its cold dark presence. They walk through the gate, and get stopped by mysterious man in a dark robe "What brings you to the capitol Darth Zeerd" the man asks as her walks over "It doesn't concern you" Zeerd turns to look at the man, who he recognises "Hur'ak Vael it's been awhile, you still an apprentice?". "It has been, and no I am now a Lord known as Lord Argus, but still a rank under you my Lord" Zeerd begins to walk "Anyway I'm heading to the Imperial Citadel to report to the council" Argus follows behind him "I'm heading that way as well. May I ask who your friends are?" Zeerd stops and turns to face him "Of course how rude of me" he points to Shaai "This is my apprentice Shaai, maybe one day you'll be given an apprentice" his fingers moves to Hran "And this is Hran an old friend I'm helping out". "I guess I'll be heading to the cantina" Hran states and starts to head off in the other direction "Shaai go join Hran will you" "Yes Master" she nods before she walks off to Hran.

They both make their way into Imperial Citadel "What business do you have in the Citadel, Argus?" "Need consult with the archives about this holocron" Argus shows him the holocron which appears to be pyramid shaped, glows a dark red and hums with energy "I've never been a holocron expert but that one looks quite powerful, where did you get it?" before Argus could answer a guard approaches Zeerd "Darth Zeerd the council have waiting for your arrival" "Of course lead the way. Speak to you later Lord Argus" the guard starts walking towards the back of the room "This way". Zeerd enters the Dark Council chamber which was a large room with twelve seats, 6 on each side, "Ahh Darth Zeerd you have arrived, finally" Darth Marr announces to the rest of the council "So Zeerd tells about Balmorra, since you were there" Darth Barras demands, "Well apart from losing the battle and my arm in the process. Nothing much I was knocked out of the fight and awoke after the battle to hear that we lost, I was out matched by a Jedi" "So you do not know about the loss of imperial control over the planet then" Darth Ravage explains. "No I was unaware of that; I had left the planet as soon as I had awoken" "So I guess you are excused. Now leave us if we need you we'll contact you"

"This appears to be a usual cantina, but more imperial military around" Hran states as he enters the Dromund Kaas cantina "I wouldn't know, first I've ever been in" Shaai explains. "Your shitting with me right", Shaai shakes her head "Well I guess I'm going to have to show you a good time then" Hran walks over to the bar and takes a seat, with Shaai closely following behind. Hran gestures two fingers at the barman "Two shots of the strongest stuff you have" the barman nods in response a walks away, Shaai is currently looking around the cantina at all the inhabitants. Hran nudges Shaai and her heads turns to face him "Keeps your eyes facing forward, you don't want to attract unwanted attention to yourself" he tells her as the barman delivers the drinks to them, she nods in return, Hran flips a few credits at the barman and he walks off. Takes his glass and picks it up, Shaai also does and they both down the drink at the same time.

"Bloody council" Zeerd mumbles as he exits the lift, then raises a brow as he spots Lord Argus "No praise of good intentions then" he retorts, Zeerd shakes his head "The usual bullshit, get any useful information out of that holocron?" Argus shakes his head "No some Imperial agent took it off me Cipher 11 or something" he scratches his head "Do you mind if I travel with you for a while got nothing on at the moment being a "Lord" and all" Zeerd puts his arm over Argus's shoulder and walks with him "You know what I would like that, I could use another Lord with me on my journeys" They make their way towards the speeder taxis "So where are we going now?" Zeerd steps into the speeder "First we need to collect my friends form the cantina then to Nar Shaddaa, the world of smugglers and gangsters" Argus steps into the speeder next to Zeerd "Oh great"

Enter the cantina to be surprised by the sight of a half-naked Chiss fighting two Imperial soldiers in the middle of the room and at the side a Togruta taking bets. Zeerd walks over to her Argus following behind "What's going on her then" he speaks into her ear, she jumps a little "Oh Master you've arrived, oh this it seems our bounty hunter friend got drunk and someone was hitting on me so he started a fight and I'm taking bets" Zeerd nods "The usual then. Oh by the way Lord Argus will be joining us, is that okay with you?" "Sure the more the merrier, anyway what did the council say?" "I'll tell you back on the ship, but let's see who wins first"

Hran raises his fists at the two men stood in front of him, who he started a fight with for a reason he can't remember anymore but that didn't matter to him he knew he had to win. The first soldier takes the lunge but Hran moves slightly backwards evade the hits ever so slightly, he returns with a jab to the jaw, then a punch to the left side of his face with his left fist. The second soldier takes his chance and lands a hit onto his right shoulder but luckily for him in his drunken state he felt only a pinch, which he follows with a leg sweep which knocks the man onto his back, which he then gives him a swift elbow to the face knocking him out cold. "Now only one left" he said to himself as the other man tackles him which he starts squeezing him very tightly, Hran then head-butts him causing blood to spew from his nose also releasing his grip at the same time, Hran takes advantage of this moment to uppercut the man in the jaw knocking him to the floor and out. Hran spits blood on the floor they raises his arms as the men and women cheer at him. Zeerd claps along with Shaai and Argus "So how much we win then" "5000 credits" Shaai replies. Zeerd walks over to Hran "Come on buddy we need to get back to the ship" "I did well didn't I" Zeerd nods then carries Hran off to the ship.


End file.
